Side Altinbesik Cave And Ormana Village Tour With Boat Tour
Side, Turkey
Side Altinbesik Cave And Ormana Village Tour With Boat Tour
Badge of Excellence
Side, Turkey
- 6 to 7 hours (approx.)
- Pickup offered
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
Overview
What's Included
Meeting and Pickup
Itinerary
Additional Info
Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Reviews
4.3
based on 73 reviews
Sort by: Most insightful
So they were not running this English speaking tour because the cave was not open but they let it be booked and did not tell me this would be a completely different tour. When picked up bus was full of people for a German tour, I kept hearing the names of places that were not supposed to be on my tour. So I raised my hand x2 to ask about where we were going and what actually he was saying about where we were. He repeatedly brushed me off, saying he would explain in English after he did German. He did not do a few sentences in & then translate at all. Finally said we would have a stop and let me ask him about the cave, at which time he explained that wasn’t open so this was a tour elsewhere … not places I wanted to go or would have signed up to go. Had I been told I would have booked a different tour for my one day in this area! Told him
I wanted to go back to my hotel & not do this tour. He called a taxi from the restroom stop but I had to pay like 20-25€ to get back. By the time I was back of course it was too late to hop on a tour to some place else I wanted to go in the area. They did refund my tour expense but I still was not able to see the things I had stopped in the area to see which was one of the national parks. They messaged with me day before & could easily have said we aren’t running this tour now do you want to do this instead. :(
Response from Host, Jun 2026
We regret that your experience did not meet your expectations. We sincerely apologize. We will investigate the matter and respond to your inquiries promptly, contacting the relevant teams to improve our services. If the problem was our responsibility, we will resolve it appropriately.
Could you please contact us on whatsapp number: +905350403919 with your booking reference number?
The tour began with a 8.45 minibus pick up from our hotel with a friendly and knowledgeable guide. My daughter and I were the only English people (there was also one Slovak) so the guide skilfully provided all info in German and in English. We stopped at a Manavgat service station to use the loos (there are few toilets in the mountains!) and got on the road out of the city. The guide told us all about the agriculture and wildlife in the region. The driver navigated us carefully around very steep roads and hairpin bends, even stopping to remove a baby tortoise from the road at one point. There were a few welcome stops for leg-stretches and photo-taking in the mountains on the long way to the cave. Once there, we donned hard hats and were taken around the illuminated underground lake on an inflatable dinghy, ten at a time, by a cheerful oarsman. The cave lake is truly unique: spectacular and unforgettable. We then travelled to Ormana village for an excellent buffet lunch, included in the price, which was fresh and delicious. The lunch place had a brilliant view - we bought ice creams and sat in the swing in their garden, then looked around the tiny village with its beautiful unique historic architecture (button houses). Our final stop was another village with a fascinating historic disused wooden mosque and abandoned school (there is now only one child in the village). We took tea there, served by the child’s family, who also have a small shop selling local herbs, oils, honey and trinkets and a small display of historic domestic items. The journey home was a speedy motorway route. The whole tour was 8 hours and great value for money. There was a great atmosphere throughout, thanks to our guide and driver. We saw a very different side to the region than we saw in the towns / hotel areas. Highly recommended tour! We learned a lot and we saw a lot of nature and history and we had a lot of fun. Thank you!
Response from Host, Jun 2025
Thank you for your review. We hope to see you again soon.
My partner and I had a great time. Umit the tour guide with very funny and knowledgeable. He translated the entire journey between English and German. Got a lot of great photos and really enjoyed the meal. There was a selection of food to choose from. The drinks however weren’t included and ranged from 1€ to about 5€. The driver didn’t speak any English and was referred to as ‘Turkish Schumacher’ 😂 id definitely recommend if you like learning a little about the area and the cave was just beautiful. Might be a bit boring for kids though.
Response from Host, Apr 2025
Thank you for your review. We hope to see you again soon.
The visit to Ormana Village was great and the food served was very good. The mountains were scenic.
The cave visit was a good experience but very brief.
It was a very hot day and the drive was very long. On the whole it was not worth spending a whole day stuck in a coach, to briefly visit the cave and the village. I would not go again.
Response from Host, Aug 2024
Thank you for your review. We hope to see you again soon.
Great tour really, beautiful cave with boat ride, very interesting Ormana Village, nice and tasty lunch at Ormana(way better than regular "included in the tour" meals. Recommended!
Response from Host, Nov 2023
Thank you for your review. We hope to see you again soon.
It took very long to pick up and drop off passengers at the hotels.
Although I booked the activity with English guide everything was in German, only an English couple got some information in English but only privately and they got much less info than the much bigger German community.
We do speak German but as a not native speakers it was difficult to understand the guide as he didn't open his mouth.
The cave-lake was really nice (Altinbesik) but then we didn't go to Ormana as it was described in the program but to a boring much smaller ghost village. Here we saw some collapsed houses, then on a dangerous road (it was made by stones and difficult to walk on it) we went to see a kind of beton bunker which collect water, "very interesting"... We saw the silk road which was again "very interesting"... stones. I was missing Ormana, I saw pictures about it before the trip and it looks much more interesting and living than Sarihacilar, a boring abandoned village...
The lunch was okay.
The minaret we saw was small and not so interesting.
Not recommended or at least not with this organiser (with other activity we had issues with them....)
Response from Host, Sep 2023
Thank you for your review. We hope to see you again soon.
This excursion exceeded all expectations! Pickup, communication, food... everything was great. Our tour guide Mehmet shared many impressive pieces of information. That was very interesting. The breaks in between were always at the right time. The food was very delicious.
Our conclusion: If you go on an excursion, then definitely this excursion with Mehmet.
Thank you very much for the lovely day!
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Response from Host, Jun 2026
Vielen Dank für Ihre Bewertung. Wir hoffen, Sie bald wieder bei uns begrüßen zu dürfen.
A very nice trip. The Altinbesik cave alone is certainly not the most spectacular hotspot but still worth seeing. The trail was the destination and our guide Ümit shortened the trip with a lot of information about land, culture and vegetation. Even a bay branch found its way onto the bus, thanks to our driver Ali. Two visits to locals in your villages were pleasantly untouristic. Lunch was very tasty and did not make me miss my all inclusive.
At this point a thank you to About our guide and Ali our driver.
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Response from Host, Nov 2025
Vielen Dank für Ihre Bewertung. Wir hoffen, Sie bald wieder bei uns begrüßen zu dürfen.
Die Tour ist sehr empfehlenswert. Ein großes Lob an den Guide Denise, die hat des wirklich drauf, Menschen in Ihren Bann zu ziehen. Ein guter Guide macht es einfach aus das man geschichtlich was erzählt aber nicht trocken rüber bringt. Jederzeit wieder, aber dann auch wieder mit der Denise.
Tolle Tour.
Response from Host, Apr 2025
Vielen Dank für Ihre Bewertung. Wir hoffen, Sie bald wieder bei uns begrüßen zu dürfen.
Wenn Sie stattgefunden hätte sicherlich nett! Leider gab es vom Veranstalter keine Absage oder Rückmeldung zum angeblichen Ausfall durch die Behörden wegen einer Unwetterwarnung. Finde ich etwas frech, wenn die Sonne scheint und diverse andere Touren durch andere Anbieter vor dem Hotel abgeholt werden. In guter Deutscher Manier sage ich mal „Danke für Nichts!!!“ Nach längerer Wartezeit habe ich mit Viator aufgenommen, die sehr hilfsbereit und freundlich waren. Geld wurde sehr schnell rückerstattet. Danke dafür.
Response from Host, Dec 2024
Hallo ……….
Ich hoffe, es geht Ihnen gut
Ich bin John und der Manager der Abteilung für Gästebetreuung
Zunächst einmal wünsche ich Ihnen einen schönen Tag. Ich kontaktiere Sie bezüglich unserer Tour zur Altinbesik-Höhle in Side und zum Dorf Ormana mit Bootstour, an der Sie nicht teilnehmen konnten. Da ich gesehen habe, dass Sie nach der schlechten Bewertung, die ich von Ihnen erhalten habe, nicht zufrieden waren, wollte ich Sie direkt kontaktieren. Was auch immer das Problem ist, das Sie erlebt haben, ich möchte Sie zunächst bitten, unsere Entschuldigung anzunehmen.
Aufgrund widriger Wetterbedingungen müssen wir Touren gelegentlich absagen, da uns die Sicherheit und das Wohlbefinden unserer Gäste am wichtigsten sind. Während andere Unternehmen unter solchen Umständen möglicherweise fortfahren, sind wir bestrebt, den höchsten Servicestandard zu bieten und gleichzeitig die Sicherheit aller Teilnehmer zu gewährleisten. Nach der Stornierung Ihrer Tour haben wir eine vollständige Rückerstattung über die Viator-Plattform abgewickelt. Darüber hinaus arbeiten wir aktiv daran, unseren Betrieb zu verbessern und Änderungen umzusetzen, die dazu beitragen, ähnliche Probleme für unsere Gäste in Zukunft zu vermeiden.
Vielen Dank im Voraus für Ihre Rückkehr und wünsche Ihnen einen schönen Tag.
Ich hoffe, so bald wie möglich von Ihnen zu hören.
Die Tour war super. Wir wurden sehr pünktlich bei unserem Hotel abgeholt und von unserem Tourguide Yücel in Empfang genommen. Yücel hat uns bereits auf der Busfahrt viele Informationen zu unseren Zielen gegeben und alles super erklärt. Yücel hat gutes Deutsch gesprochen, was für uns sehr von Vorteil war. Die Erklärungen erfolgten immer sowohl in deutsch als auch in englisch. Der Aufenthalt in der Altinbesik Höhle war sehr beeindruckend und schön. Auch der Besuch des Ormana Dorfs war sehr schön. Dort gab es dann auch ein leckeres Mittagessen und anschließend wurden wir wieder sicher zu unserem Hotel gebracht.
Ich kann nicht negatives über die Tour sagen und kann es wirklich empfehlen.
Response from Host, Sep 2024
Vielen Dank für Ihre Bewertung. Wir hoffen, Sie bald wiederzusehen.
Transfer was goed geregeld. Hele vriendelijke en humoristische gids. Als voertaal hadden wij Engels gekozen, echter de tour was vooral in het Duits. Als je een beetje Duits verstaat, is het prima te doen.
De omgeving is erg mooi met de klim in de bergen. Jammer genoeg konden wij er niet altijd van genieten door het rijgedrag van de chauffeur. Onze chauffeur reed geregeld telefonerend met een hand aan het stuur.
Grot zelf was mooi, helaas duurt het maar 5 minuten voordat je er weer uit bent. Opletten in het restaurant, het drinken en de toetjes moeten apparaat afgerekend worden. Dit is niet goed vermeld in de benschrijving.
Al met al was het ok en de moeite waard voor het geld wat je btaald.
Response from Host, Jul 2023
Bedankt voor uw beoordeling. We hopen je snel weer te zien
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